I just sent off the request for the russian train tickets! One month on a train here we come! Chris and I both told our jobs that we were going travelling this week . . . scary. Everyone was very cool about it though. It all seems a bit more real now. I also have a meeting with the nurse this week to start our injection schedule. ouchy. phew, just house, visas, insurance, dog, packing, flights, etc etc . . . . . Mrs p

With work and illness i've missed a few days but we haven't been slacking. I've listed some more stuff on Ebay. Seems like a good way to clear out some of the old "junk" and make a bit of extra spending money. We've pretty much sorted the Trans-mongolian time table. Well we got all the way through enterying our details and then found out we needed our passports which we didnt have to hand. So saved everything and hopefully Tuesday Claire will be able ...

I went to the dentist yesterday for a pre - trip check up . . . and joy of joys i had to have a wizdom tooth removed and a filling! harsh! I suppose its better than getting wizdom tooth related aches when we are away but now i have an achy face . . . not cool. hmph. Oh and to add insult to injury i'm going back in 2 weeks to have another one out . . . Mrs P

Woooooo. I finished a little ahead of my maidstone time with 2hrs 05mins. Still didn't beat two hours but the hill in the middle just killed me. I lost 4 pounds over the course of the race! Excellent event and well worth going. Thanks again to everyone who sponsored me I think last count I raised £200. Now my feet hurt so I'm glad I have a job with a lot of sitting.

So . . . pre travel blog . . . well, I read yesterday in the Beijing guide that if you flip over a fish at the dinner table to eat the soft meat on the bottom, that the next ship you pass will capsize! Bonkers! Anyway, had better go and get on with planning things like visas and hostels instead of worrying about fish etiquette . . . Mrs P